A lot of people have problems with gaining weight. Majority of them may face occasional taunts like “you should eat more often” or “are you sick?”.
Before thinking of gaining weight, it is imperative to know if you are a candidate for possible weight gain, that is, if you’re underweight. This is calculated by using the Body Mass Index (BMI) which is the weight of an individual in kilograms, divided by the square of the individual’s height in metres.
Normal BMI is within 18.5-25, if it is less than 18, you may be underweight and if greater than 25, you may be overweight.
That preamble out of the way, let’s get down to how we can gain weight easily within a short period of time.
1) EAT QUALITY FOOD
A good number of people who are underweight naturally don’t eat much even when they’re forced to eat more. This loophole can be bypassed by doubling on the quality of meals. Protein content is an absolute must, meat, fish, milk, eggs, yoghurt must be included in every meal. Carbohydrates are also important in weight gain and should not be left out. You may also want to add more spices to your meals to make them more tasty which encourages you to eat more.
2) DEVELOP A MEAL PLAN
Gaining weight is a conscious and active process. It has to be very well planned. You can develop a food time table and having at least five meals per day is recommended.
Breakfast by 7AM, lunch by 1PM, and dinner by 7PM with snacks or dessert at 4PM and 10PM can be a good meal plan to kick off conscious weight gain.
3) GET QUALITY SLEEP
This alone might be the single most important factor of weight gain especially in people who have no problems with eating. It is recommended to get at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep in a day.
This is very important for muscle growth.
4) AVOID DRINKING WATER DURING MEALS
A habit a lot of people have, drinking water during meals fills up the stomach and gives the feeling of being satisfied. This in turn leads to reduced meal intake which may result in poor weight gain.
5) AVOID STRESS
This might look like an impossible task considering a good number of the human population are either students or working class but stressful situations can be avoided. A more relaxed, laid back approach to life is recommended. You can put on your headphones and listen to cool music instead of being agitated when you find yourself in traffic, you can do away with that boyfriend or girlfriend who does not give you peace of mind.
6) SEE A DOCTOR
Some people may find it difficult to gain weight due to the presence of medical conditions. These may include eating disorders like Anorexia nervosa, hyperactive thyroid, diabetes, infections, and even cancer.
Seeing a medical professional helps identify a possible medical cause of failure to gain weight and its treatment.
